Scott Morrison returns from Hawaiian holiday to address bushfire crisis

Prime Minister Scott Morrison has faced questions publicly for the first time since returning from his controversial holiday to Hawaii.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison visited NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters in Sydney this morning after flying home from his family holiday in Hawaii.

Mr Morrison did not make any media appearance after landing last night, so the RFS visit was the first we’d seen of him.

The Prime Minister spent some time going through the latest fire news with Commissioner Shane Fitzsimmons on the big screen.

He also spoke briefly to volunteers, thanking them for their commitment.

“People are getting tired. Our firefighters are getting tired. And the army of volunteers that sit behind them and their families, they’ll be getting tired,” Mr Morrison said.

“I just want to say thank you. Thank you and god bless you. Stay safe.”

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Later today, he will visit other emergency and evacuation centres.

The Prime Minister has been criticised for deciding to take leave as intense blazes burned across the country. He addressed that during a press conference at the end of his RFS visit.

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Scott Morrison at RFS headquarters in Sydney this morning. Picture: ABC News

Scott Morrison pictured on his holiday to Hawaii. Picture: Twitter

The PM pictured relaxing at a resort. Picture: Twitter/Ben Parsons @paso81

“I have returned from leave, and I know that has caused some great anxiety in Australia, and Jenny and I acknowledge that,” Mr Morrison said.

“If we had our time over again and the benefit of hindsight, we would have made different decisions.

“I am sure Australians are fair-minded, and understand that when you make a promise to your children, you try and keep it. But as Prime Minister you have other responsibilities, and I accept that, and I accept the criticism and that is why Jenny and I thought it was important that I returned, particularly after the tragedies we saw late last week.

“I get it that people would have been upset to know that I was holidaying with my family while their families were under great stress. They know I will not stand there and hold a hose. I am not a trained firefighter, nor am I an expert like those in the next room doing an amazing job.

“But I am comforted by the fact that Australians would like me to be here, simply so I can be here alongside them as they go through this terrible time. And so to those Australians who that caused upset to, I apologise for that.

“I think it is important when you are confronted with these things, you front up and are honest with people, and that is what I am seeking to do now.

“The time for that discussion is over. We need to focus on what is going on out there today.”

Of course, the discussion actually continued as the Prime Minister took questions from reporters.

“Where have you been, and why the secrecy?” he was asked.

“I was in Hawaii, on a trip with my family, a trip planned seven weeks ago. And when I take family leave, it is private family time,” Mr Morrison said.

“But you knew about these catastrophic fire conditions. Are you sorry to the residents?” the reporter pressed.

“I already said that. I already said it,” he replied.

Mr Morrison said “lessons had been learned” regarding the way information about his absence was handled.

There was no public statement that he was leaving the country, and for most of the week, his office refused to say where he was.

“Each time I have taken private family leave as Prime Minister I followed exactly the same process. There was no change. On my earlier leaves, no statement was issued. I took private family leave and no objections were raised by the press on those occasions,” he said.

“But it is something we will rectify in the future.”

Mr Morrison was also confronted with his past criticism of Christine Nixon for going to dinner during the Black Saturday bushfires. He dismissed the comparison.

“I have already made a number of comments today, as you know, where I think I have held myself to that same standard. Equally I would note that I am not the operational leader of an emergency service or police force,” the Prime Minister said.

“As Prime Minister, I was kept regularly updated on the events. The Acting Prime Minister was in full control of what was occurring, ably supported by Minister Littleproud.

“The reason I have returned is out of a deep respect and sympathy for those Australians who were tragically killed a few nights ago. That demanded my attendance here, I believe, out of simple respect and sympathy for them.

“Australians are fair-minded. They know, at the end of a difficult year, people go on leave. And they know that when a dad makes a promise to the kids, they like to keep it.

“I think it would be unfair to say the events in very recent days were the same as a week or so ago. Nevertheless, I understand the anxiety and why people have been upset at this, and that is why I am pleased to be back.”

Scott Morrison speaking at RFS headquarters. Picture: ABC

The other big takeaway from Scott Morrison’s press conference is the news that his government will not be changing its climate change policies in response to the bushfires.

“Going forward after these fires, how can your government provide a more genuine commitment to making Australia a responsible global actor when it comes to reducing carbon emissions?” a reporter asked him this morning.

“People can expect my government to do what it promised to do, what it took to the last election,” Mr Morrison responded.

“I know there are some who tried to make political points over these issues and score points over these issues in the midst of these disasters, and that is disappointing.

“I will do what I said I would do, because that is how I am with the Australian people.”

The Prime Minister reiterated his belief that Australia would meet its emissions reduction target under the Paris agreement.

“We will take a responsible approach to action on climate change. We are part of global action and the commitments we have made, we are meeting,” he said.

“I do not accept this suggestion that Australia is not carrying its weight. We are carrying our weight. We are meeting and beating our target, and there are very few countries who can say that.”

In his earlier remarks, Mr Morrison alluded to the climate change debate while telling AUstralians it was “not the time for division”.

“It is time to be kind to each other,” he said.

“It is not a time for argument, it is not a time for partisanship, it is not a time for point scoring. It is a time to support people who have an important job to do, to give them the space and time, to give them the support they need.

“We need to rally together. The time for argument is not now. It is not to say there is no time to talk about climate change – of course there is, and we are talking about it. But let’s do it in a way that does not distract from the very immediate need of defending people’s lives.

“I simply ask people, particularly at Christmas time, to reflect on that, to come together to support each other and to focus on the things we need to do now.”

The backlash against Mr Morrison’s absence from the country started on Monday. He did not speak until Friday, and his office would not reveal his location.

When he did finally release a statement addressing the controversy - and announcing he would return home ahead of schedule - he confirmed the rumours that he was in Hawaii were correct.

“I deeply regret any offence caused to any of the many Australians affected by the terrible bushfires by my taking leave with family at this time,” Mr Morrison said.

“I have been receiving regular updates on the bushfires disaster as well as the status of the search and treatment of the victims of the White Island tragedy. The Commonwealth’s responsibilities have been well managed by the Acting Prime Minister, Minister Littleproud and Minister Payne.

“Given the most recent tragic events, I will be returning to Sydney as soon as can be arranged.”

Speaking to 2GB radio, he said the trip was an attempt to surprise his daughters, given he has official trips scheduled in January and the family will not be able to take time off then.

“That (Hawaii) is sometimes where we go privately for our holidays. We spend a lot of time in Australia on our holidays as well,” Mr Morrison said.

“We had planned to spend it down the South Coast as we usually do, but we had to bring it forward because of those commitments we had in India and Japan. So we had to tell the girls we wouldn’t be spending as much time down there, so in return I tried to give them a bit of a nice surprise and take them here.

“I think that’s what dads try and do if they can, when they’ve been working hard all year. I know there are lots of dads and mums out there who’ve been working hard all year try to treat their kids at this time of year, and that’s what I was trying to do. It’s just unfortunate it’s come at such an awful time, particularly for those living in and around Sydney and NSW.

“And it’s just devastating to be here and seeing what’s happening there, so I’m pleased to be returning.”

Protesters hold up banners during a protest at Kirribilli House on December 19, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. Picture: Jenny Evans/Getty Images

The PM faced intense criticism over the timing of his trip. Picture: Steven Saphore/AAP

Mr Morrison was asked if he understood why people thought his leadership had been lacking this week.

“Well, we were keeping in contact very strongly with what was happening. With the events of last night, with those fatalities, I think it’s appropriate that I return now,” he said.

“I know that every support that’s been required from the federal government has been provided.

“There has not been a breath of difference between what was needed in NSW and what the Commonwealth has been providing.”

He was also asked whether his absence from the country should have been announced publicly.

“We don’t normally. I took leave in June as well, and we did the same practice,” the Prime Minister responded.

“I think on this occasion, because there’s been such horrendous events, that has understandably caused a lot of anxiety. I deeply regret that, and so does Jenny. To those affected by the fires, we deeply regret it.”

Mr Morrison’s wife and daughters have remained in Hawaii for the final few days of their holiday. The Prime Minister himself was originally scheduled to return to his duties on Monday.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese has said the circumstances were a problem of the government’s own making.

“I find it quite extraordinary that the usual protocols of the Prime Minister saying he is going on leave, how long he would go for and who would be acting in his absence have not been followed and, indeed, media inquiries were met with misinformation, at best,” he told reporters yesterday.

Originally published as Scott Morrison returns from Hawaiian holiday to address bushfire crisis